As we reach the inevitable list-making portion of the year, all of the usual concerns arise: how to order? What was the one album of the year that stands head and shoulders above the rest? Will LMFAO come back next year, and if so, is there any way to stop that from happening? But me, I’ve got a special reason to celebrate: this year, my good buddy The Blerd roped me back into doing some more of that writing stuff […]
The Popblerd Chart Report 11/3/11: A Good Day for Coldplay (BTW, That Rhymed)
Coldplay scores the biggest debut for a rock album in nearly three years. How did the other albums that came out last week fare on the Billboard charts?
Spin Cycle: Tom Waits’ “Bad As Me”
Back in 2006, Tom Waits released a sprawling odds-and-sods collection called Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers, and Bastards. At a massive three discs, and packaged like a dusty hardbound American tome large enough to bludgeon with, Waits decided to cut directly to the chase: each disc was named after the type of songs contained therein, according to which of the three titular descriptors it matched. That mentality isn’t unique to that set, though; in Tom Waits’ universe, in fact, brawlers, bawlers, and […]
New Release Report 10/24/11: Coldplay, Clarkson and Christmas
Kelly Clarkson and Coldplay have new albums out today? Who else has an album being released?
The Blerd & Gonzo Cover Convo: “Downtown Train”
Who made the better version of “Downtown Train”? Rod Stewart? Tom Waits? Bob Seger? Everything But The Girl?
Spin Cycle: That Handsome Devil’s “The Heart Goes To Heaven, The Head Goes To Hell”
I imagine that relatively few people decide to go to a rock concert twenty minutes before it starts. But, see, my wife and I were spending the week in Boston, and we had a Friday night with nothing on the docket. There was talk of a movie; there was talk of dinner, but ultimately, we wanted to do something unique, something singular. Take in a play, or some jazz, or climb a mountain (which, to be fair, is kind of […]
Overdue? Waits, Dr. John, Neil Diamond Lead Rock Hall Inductees
Tom Waits and Neil Diamond lead the list of 2011 inductees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Bon Jovi and the Beastie Boys are among the artists who were left off.
Will the Hall of Fame Have Room for Bon Jovi and the Beasties?
The finalists for nomination into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame’s class of 2011 have been announced, and a wildly eclectic group finds themselves in contention. Several artists up for nomination this year have been knocking on the HOF’s door for eons, while some artists find themselves vying for the prestigious honor for the first time. One thing that you can’t really argue-just about every artist on this list is a certified legend. 15 artists are vying for the […]